Topic: Sword Ban UK

[Moley]

Hey guy's. I love karate but I also love Japanese Swords.
This Government as a Knee Jerk reaction to Gun Crime is thinking of placating the public by banning Japanese swords.

The proposed ban on the import, sale and manufacture of swords will have an adverse effect on legitimate practitioners, collectors and manufacturers. Actual sword related crime is very rare and does not warrant a ban that affects the cultural activities of thousands of legitimate martial artists, collectors and smiths. Current legislation is quite adequate to deal with violent crime connected with bladed weapons. New legislation is merely for show. Enforcing such a ban will also affect cultural events such as Scottish Sword Dancing and many Sikh festivals. We urge the PM to reconsider this knee jerk reaction to media influenced scaremongering.

Please sign the petition agains this ineffectual knee jerk reaction which will affect us genuine lovers of cold steel.

Moley

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/swords/

[Julian]

Had an e-mail as a follow up to this today :
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page11849.asp

Thank you for signing the epetition against any ban on samurai swords.

The Government accepts this is a difficult area where there may be conflict between the safety of the public and the legitmate interests of law-abiding people. But it is important to remember that the decision to consult on whether the law on samurai swords should be tightened follows police concern over their increasing use in violent crime, including murders. Their advice is that the availability of samurai swords makes them the weapon of choice for growing numbers of young men with criminal intentions.

It was in response to these concerns that the Government has consulted on whether to ban samurai swords. Views were also asked on whether it was practical to exempt collectors and martial arts enthusiasts from any such ban given the difference between genuine "samurai swords" and cheap imitations.

The consultation period which finished at the end of May generated a large volume of responses. We hope to publish a summary of the views expressed by the autumn. The Government will then decide what action should be taken in its continued drive to tackle violent crime and protect the public.

[Moley]

It'll probably be a ban on import and sale of such items rather than on posession.

Looks like I'll have to be on the watch out and buy myself a Katana before the ban comes in.

[Huw]

Looks like the Neds/Chavs will just have to start carrying Machetes or steel pipes again 

And that really is the point isn't it! Ban swords and criminals will replace them with something else. A quick visit to any decent cook shop will do just the trick. Will the government ban kitchen knives? Somehow I doubt it.

The only people affected by the change of law will be the legitimate users such as re-enactment groups and martial artists.

[Mole Bach]

9,537 people signed this petition.....is'nt this more than what's needed to register a new religion.
i heard that after a poll in America, so many people stated their religion as Jedi, that the yanks seriously thought of registering it, but it fell short of only a couple.

[Lloydie]

Trouble is, kitchen knives and machetes, axes etc, can be argued to be "tools". You can go buy them down at B&Q if your over 16.  The fact that they are potentially very lethal, gets muddied when you consider "what is the purpose of a katana"  answer: it is made to chop things, traditionally human flesh.

 We therefore have to argue that we keep them in order to practice an art form.  This is similar to the "pistol shooting" debate, despite it being an Olympic sport ( at which GB used to do very well) its all gone tits up following Dunblane.  (and have we seen a decrease in gun crime since that awful day?) 

With the (alleged) increase of attacks with katana (I'd like to see the evidence for this and match it against short knife casualties) the government will jump on the issue, ban or restrict their use or ownership, and then use it to crow about how they are tackling crime involving bladed weapons.  Despite the huge number of people signing the on-line petition this bast@rd government will just do what it thinks is popular for itself.

Gonna be a lot of fingers lost in Gwynedd when the "Katana inspector" comes to confiscate....methinks Llanrug may be a particular hotspot of trouble 

Lloydie

[Lloydie]

Saw this last Sunday whilst I was reading of the terror attacks :

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/01/nrstab101.xml&page=2

note: Barbara Dunne founded Mothers Against Knives, four years ago, when her son, Robert, was stabbed to death with a Samurai-style sword. She has now been asked by the Home Office to help put together a new banned-weapons list for a future Criminal Justice Act 
The loss of her son must have been devastating to her.  However, that does not qualify her to "help put together" legislative policy.  Sounds to me like the Government playing the "people - power" card when it suits them - note the Gov response to the on-line petition against banning swords.

It has also been reported http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/05/nsamurai105.xml that a ban will only affect "imitation swords"  how the hell are they going to determine "authentic" swords!!!

Lloydie

[gizmo]

From The Times (page 11, today) :

'Samurai-style swords are to be outlawed next year, the Home Office said. Anyone caught with one will face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to £5,000. Antique versions of the Japanese sword would be exempt from the new regulations.'

I wonder how they will police this? I suppose a Google search is going to identify the majority of offenders er! owners.

[Lloydie]

This was the original "proposal" in March this year

http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/samurai-sword-ban

despite a significant petition, nothing seems to have changed in favour of genuine sword owners who cannot afford the £++++ for a

"genuine collectors’ swords made in Japan before the existing licensing regime came into force in 1953 or those made by licensed Japanese swordsmiths since that time"

- let's hope that they do indeed, limit it to import of "cheap imitations" - whatever they think they are - "cheap" is a pretty relative word.  Knowing these weaselly bar-stewards in government, I reckon that one incident with a "genuine" blade would be enough for them to force through even more restrictive measures.

 

[Moley]

It seems that the legislation involves the banning of "Sale, Hire and Import" of cheap "Replica" Japanese swords.
This means that :
a) everything bought/owned by you before the legislation comes into effect next April is legal.

b) After April you can legally buy/ sell and import any sword made in Japan modern or antique.

c) It is the "cheap" chinese wallhanger imitations that will be illegal to import or sell. (strangely enough, not illegal to buy or own)

d) Unfortunately a Tamahagne blade by someone like Howard clarke at about £10,000 falls into category c) above as it is not b).

My advice is...if you really really want a katana...buy it NOW.

[Moley]

Latest :

Your ownership is protected by the grandfather clause - whereby swords you own before April 2008 are legal , buying and selling and importing and exporting are illegal after April 2008 - you can leave your swords to your family and friends after you die as legally owned property belonging to your estate - they can then keep them legally but any resale will be illegal .

When hand guns were banned after the Dunblane massacre they were confiscated wholesale by the police and the government had to fork out a massive amount of cash to pay all the owners for their property - thats why this time a grandfather clause is there to protect pre ban ownership.

Some UK sword dealers are already selling the new Chen elite range at 30% off the market value - a shinto elite last month at Barrington swords was £499 this week its selling at £340 - expect this trend to explode as we get into the new year because all the dealers over here will not be able to sell anything online in April .

[Azzy_Stealth]

Dear Moley,
Been thinkin as a new years treat and a nice addition to my meager collection,
I would like to get a Forged and Folded example.
Any thought which would suit and be around £500 ish

[JimmyTheHoover]

eBay's gonna be interesting next quarter 

[Moley]

Dear Moley,
Been thinkin as a new years treat and a nice addition to my meager collection,
I would like to get a Forged and Folded example.
Any thought which would suit and be around £500 ish

The orchid,

[JimmyTheHoover]

Dear Moley,
Been thinkin as a new years treat and a nice addition to my meager collection,
I would like to get a Forged and Folded example.
Any thought which would suit and be around £500 ish

A £50 Note from a Glasgow Pub